O’Brien to upgrade private jet with order for latest model

Businessman Denis O’Brien is ordering a new private jet, worth about €60 million, to replace the aircraft he recently put on the market.

Mr O'Brien is understood to have ordered a new Gulfstream G650ER, with a $66.5 million (€60 million) list price, from the US-based executive jet manufacturer. The new aircraft will replace the G650 S/N 6032 that he recently placed on the market with O'GaraJets in Atlanta, Georgia.

He bought his current jet in 2013 and, based on past experience, is thought to be trading up to the newer G650ER, which Gulfstream launched late last year.

While Gulfstream has not published the price, online publications such as Corporate Jet Investor suggest that it is listed at around $66.5 million, with a further $2 million for extras.

The G650ER has a range of more than 11,800km, compared to about 11,000km for Mr O'Brien's current model, and can sleep up to 10 people comfortably. Mr O'Brien, owner of 29 per cent of Independent News and Media and a number of radio stations in the Republic, has had his own jet for a number of years.

He frequently visits the Caribbean and the Pacific islands, where his mobile phone company Digicel has extensive operations.

The businessman is also a regular traveller to the the United States and and Asia, where he sought a mobile-phone licence in Myanmar.